Bright red swirls are the trademark of these peppermint pinwheel cookies! They look and taste like the cookie version of candy canes, making them the best Christmas cookies for kids.
Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies are made of homemade peppermint sugar cookie dough colored half red, rolled into a log, and then cut and baked. These pretty Christmas pinwheel cookies are perfect for party trays, cookie exchanges, and gift-giving.
Table of Contents
Peppermint Christmas Cookies
The vanilla and peppermint extracts combine to make these soft pinwheel cookies the most fun and delicious cookies you'll make this year! They might be a little more involved than simple drop cookies, but it's all part of the fun.
Add pinwheel swirl cookies to your list of Christmas cookies this year. They are right at home with Chocolate Peppermint Cake Mix Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cookies, Double Chocolate Mint Cookies, and Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Why These are the Best Peppermint Pinwheels
This pinwheel cookies recipe is the best one you'll find because it makes soft and minty cookies that aren't overly rich or spicy. Every bite is perfect! The swirls and sprinkles combine to show off the peppermint pinwheels. You'll be proud to give them to all your family and friends.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Unsalted butter
- White granulated sugar
- Egg
- Milk
- Pure vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract
- Red food coloring
- Powdered sugar
- Red, white, and green sprinkles
You can use different colors of food coloring to make pinwheel cookies with other colors. Red and green pinwheel cookies or red white and green pinwheel cookies are some of the top color combinations for Christmas.
How to Make Peppermint Pinwheel Sugar Cookie Dough
The pinwheel sugar cookies dough is the easiest part of the recipe.
- First, combine and sift all the dry ingredients together.
- Then, in another bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
- Then add the egg, milk, vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Continue beating until combined.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture.
- Beat it together until it is well-mixed.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Add red food coloring to half of the dough.
How to Roll Pinwheel Cookies
This is the most difficult part of the recipe, but after you do it once you'll realize how easy it really is.
- Cut off two pieces of wax paper, each about 24” long to use as a size gauge. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Take the white dough, and using a rolling pin or your fingers, form a large rectangle about ¼-inch thick on one of the pieces of wax paper. Use more powdered sugar as you roll the dough to keep it from sticking. Repeat with the red dough on the other sheet of wax paper.
- Roll out the red dough the same way.
- Place the red dough on top of the white dough by flipping the wax paper side up. Trim evenly.
- Carefully roll the dough into a tight log, mending tears as they appear.
- Roll the dough in colored sprinkles.
- Wrap this log up in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator.
How to Slice and Bake Pinwheel Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and, using a very sharp knife, slice dough into ⅓”-½” wide slices. Place on prepared cookie sheets about 2” apart. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
How to Decorate
There are two ways you can decorate peppermint pinwheel cookies:
- Roll the dough log in sprinkles so the edges of the cookies will be decorated as shown above.
- Top the baked cookies with melted white or semi-sweet chocolate chips and either sprinkles or crushed peppermint candy.
These minty sugar cookies will be the hit of your cookie tray. That is if you want to share. But it's Christmas so go ahead and bake some up for the office, neighbors, and your next party.
Recipe Tips
- Use gel for a brighter color. Food coloring gel will not fade as much as a liquid when the cookies are baking.
- Keep the dough cold. Sugar cookie dough can become sticky and difficult to roll at room temperature. Keep it in the refrigerator when you're not working with it.
- Thin dough may crack or tear. Be sure not to roll it out too thin. Using rolling pin guide rings helps keep the dough at a specific and even thickness.
- Refrigerate the dough log before slicing. Put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours before slicing. Overnight is even better. The dough log will be easier to slice and cold cookies will hold their shape better while baking.
- Use a large heavy kitchen knife for slicing. Slice straight down and do not saw with back and forth motion. This keeps the cookies smooth and helps prevent the dough from tearing.
Make Ahead
You can make the dough in advance and freeze the dough log. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, you can either slice the frozen dough log and bake or thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
2CM Tip: Use an electric knife to easily slice through a frozen cookie dough log.
How to Store and Freeze
Store baked cookies in an airtight container or plastic ziptop bag for up to 5 days.
Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Almond Cloud Cookies
- Brazil Nut Snowball Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Pistachio Cherry Meltaway Cookies
- Turtle Cookies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies
Find lots of easy cookie recipes here on 2CM!
LOVE QUICK & EASY RECIPES? FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, & PINTEREST FOR ALL THE LATEST RECIPE INSPIRATION! PLUS JOIN MY EMAIL LIST AND RECEIVE A FREE E-BOOK.
Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 Tablespoon red food coloring
- Confectioner's sugar
- Garnish: White or multi-colored sprinkles
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, salt and baking powder together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, milk, vanilla and peppermint extracts and continue beating until combined. Gradually add dry mixture, beating until well mixed. Divide dough in half and add red food coloring to half of dough.
- Cut off 2 pieces of wax paper, each about 24” long to use as a size gauge. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Take the white dough, and using a rolling pin or your fingers, form a large rectangle about ¼-inch thick on one of the pieces of wax paper. Use more powdered sugar as you roll the dough to keep it from sticking. Repeat with the red dough on the other sheet of wax paper.
- Place the red dough on top of the white dough by flipping the wax paper side up. Trim evenly. Carefully roll the dough into a tight log mending tears as they appear.
- Place sprinkles on flat surface and roll your cookie log in the sprinkles patting them to help them adhere. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap and, using a very sharp knife, slice dough into ⅓”-½” wide slices. Place on prepared cookie sheets about 2” apart. Bake 10-15 minutes.
- Remove to wire rack and let cool.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and better directions. It was first published on December 24, 2013.
Amy says
I love slice and bake cookies and these peppermint were not only tasty but pretty too. I doubled the batch and froze half. It will be great to have these on hand for the holidays.
Cathleen says
These cookies are perfect for the holidays! They are stunning, and always the first to go when I make a cookie tray 🙂
Kathryn says
I loved everything about these cookies! From the peppermint flavors to the colorful swirl and sprinkles! Such a fun holiday cookie, we all LOVED them!
mandy says
These are so fun to make! Takes a little practice but it came out beautifully by my second try. Delish too!
Linda Warren says
I agree, they are fun to make and a great cookie for the Christmas season! And no matter how the pinwheel comes out you still get a yummy cookie. 🙂
Journa Liz Ramirez says
These cookies are so festive and attractive! My kids can't get enough of its flavor, they had so much fun. This would make a perfect Christmas treat, so we'll surely have this again. Thanks Linda for this wonderful recipe!
veenaazmanov says
My kids would love to do this with me. These look so cute and colorful and definitly so easy too. Perfect gifting or kids party option.
Leslie says
I love a fun, bright cookie for the holiday season! Great tip on using gel food coloring. I love the added sprinkles as well!
Amanda says
I just started my Christmas cookie baking this week and made a batch of these pinwheels. Love them! They're so cute, and the peppermint extract gives them such a fun holiday flavor.
Sharon says
These peppermint pinwheels and a fun and unique Christmas cookie to make this holiday season! Great for gift giving too.
Jessica says
How cute! And wonderful to have a homemade version of these popular holiday cookies, I'm always seeing them on the shelves but excited to make them from scratch 🙂
Amanda says
The perfect Christmas cookie! These turned out so great for me! And I love that I can freeze them....takes the pressure off of having to make them same day for Christmas day! Really yummy cookies!! Loved the recipe!